Tambuwal Set to Join APC, Considers Gubernatorial Race
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, had defected to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), his media aide Imam Imam stated that “consultations on the speaker’s political future continue and the outcome will be made public at the appropriate time”.
Although the statement failed to confirm if Tambuwal had left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on whose platform he became a member of the legislature and speaker of the House, sources close to Tambuwal said that he would defect “any minute from now” and would contest the governorship race on the platform of the APC in his home state, Sokoto.
Although the statement failed to confirm if Tambuwal had left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on whose platform he became a member of the legislature and speaker of the House, sources close to Tambuwal said that he would defect “any minute from now” and would contest the governorship race on the platform of the APC in his home state, Sokoto.
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However, his media aide admitted that Tambuwal had attended a stakeholders’ meeting of the APC in Sokoto on Monday at the instance of the state governor, Aliyu Wamakko.
Imam added that the meeting had in attendance prominent Sokoto citizens many of whom have no known political affiliation, the most notable being the Sardauna of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubukar III, and former Minister of Finance, Alhaji Abubakar Alhaji.
He was expected to join the opposition early this year shortly after 37 of his colleagues in the House defected from the PDP to the APC, but delayed his departure when the opposition party lost the slim majority it briefly held in the House.
Also, his departure at the time would have prompted PDP to push for his impeachment as speaker of the House. However, a House member explained that this would have been difficult to achieve because PDP does not have the two-thirds majority needed to effect a leadership change.
Reacting to rumours of the speaker’s defection, the National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Olisa Metuh, said the party would not react until it is confirmed that Tambuwaal had left for APC.
“Let’s wait until it is confirmed. The party does not want to make a statement or react to unconfirmed reports. We have party liaisons. We will wait until it is confirmed," he said.
However, his media aide admitted that Tambuwal had attended a stakeholders’ meeting of the APC in Sokoto on Monday at the instance of the state governor, Aliyu Wamakko.
Imam added that the meeting had in attendance prominent Sokoto citizens many of whom have no known political affiliation, the most notable being the Sardauna of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubukar III, and former Minister of Finance, Alhaji Abubakar Alhaji.
He was expected to join the opposition early this year shortly after 37 of his colleagues in the House defected from the PDP to the APC, but delayed his departure when the opposition party lost the slim majority it briefly held in the House.
Also, his departure at the time would have prompted PDP to push for his impeachment as speaker of the House. However, a House member explained that this would have been difficult to achieve because PDP does not have the two-thirds majority needed to effect a leadership change.
Reacting to rumours of the speaker’s defection, the National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Olisa Metuh, said the party would not react until it is confirmed that Tambuwaal had left for APC.
“Let’s wait until it is confirmed. The party does not want to make a statement or react to unconfirmed reports. We have party liaisons. We will wait until it is confirmed," he said.
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